Pedro Pascal was born in Santiago, Chile, to child psychologist Verónica Pascal Ureta and fertility doctor José Balmaceda Riera. His family had strong political connections, with his mother being a cousin of Andrés Pascal Allende, a nephew of socialist Chilean President Salvador Allende.

Following his birth, Pascal's family sought refuge in the Venezuelan embassy in Santiago and later received political asylum in Denmark. They eventually moved to the United States, where Pascal was raised in San Antonio, Texas, and later in Orange County, California.

Pascal pursued acting at the Orange County School of the Arts and graduated in 1993. This marked the beginning of his formal education in the arts.

Pascal attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he graduated in 1997. This period further honed his acting skills and prepared him for a career in the entertainment industry.

Pascal had his breakout role as Oberyn Martell in the fourth season of the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones. His portrayal of the hot-headed and lethal younger brother of Doran Martell of Dorne brought him widespread recognition and critical acclaim.

Pascal landed a career-defining leading role in Netflix’s Narcos, playing DEA agent Javier Peña. His performance was praised for its complexity and nuance, leading to award nominations and further establishing him as a versatile actor.

Pascal took on the title role in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, a Star Wars spin-off. His portrayal of the titular character has been widely praised, cementing his status as a leading actor in popular television.

Pascal starred in the HBO series The Last of Us, based on the popular video game. His performance as Joel, a hardened survivor in a post-apocalyptic world, has received critical acclaim and further solidified his reputation as a versatile and compelling actor.